The Wonderful World of Horses

Christine Hajek fell in love with her first draft horse when she met Elijah, a Belgian gelding, at an auction in August 2001 and brought him home.

But Hajek, who grew up on a horse-breeding farm, had been mesmerized by the huge horses raised for plowing and farm labor ever since she rode one years earlier.

“I loved the gait, I loved the size and I loved the feel,” said Hajek, 34, who is an Anne Arundel County firefighter. “They’re so broad across the back that they give you a real sense of security. They move slowly. Anything they do is kind of in slow motion.”

It was Elijah that gave her the idea to form Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue, a nonprofit operation specifically tailored to draft horses — and turn a hobby into an obsession.

“He ended up being a perfect horse — totally flawless in every way,” she said.

That one horse has turned into 21 at the 42-acre Woodbine farm in Mount Airy, Maryland where she lives with her husband, Jamie McIntosh.

Hajek estimates that she and her husband have rescued more than 60 draft horses since then — most of them within the past two years.

“They work hard, they’ve seen everything, so they’re not afraid of anything,” she said.

Once she brings horses home, she spends an average of two months with them before they are adopted.

“I might be sad for a couple days, and I might cry really hard when I drop them off,” she said. “But mostly, I’m happy for them.”

The horses she’s rescued are now scattered around the United States, with adoptees in California, New York, Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania and elsewhere, she said.

Recently, Dick Dodson, 72, from Boyds, who recently took up riding again after a 20-year hiatus, visited Hajek’s farm to meet a horse named Texas that he’d seen on the Gentle Giants Web site.

“The attraction for the drafts is that they’re very calm, they’re sure-footed, and they don’t spook easily,” he said. “I want something that’s bomb-proof. I don’t want to get hurt on a horse.”

He was drawn to Texas because of the chocolate-colored Belgian’s background as a carriage horse that had done some plowing for an Amish farmer.

I rescued a Perch/cross from the meat pen in March. Her name was also Penny. Even with her large size, she wormed into my heart. Sadly, I lost Penny in July. My heart has this huge hole. I am looking for a new Perch/cross. I once read, “Horses leave hoof prints on your heart” Well, Penny left a more more then just her hoof prints.
God Bless you and the work you do.
Penny

~~~Hi Penny,
Bravo to you for rescuing Penny and giving her a better life, even though it was for a short time. That must give you a great feeling to know you made a big difference to her. Good luck with your next lucky horse.

Hi
I live in Australia and was browsing when I came across your site. It is fantastic to see a beautiful animal like the Clydesdale get a second chance at life. Well done to you all.

I owned a Clydie named Charlie and he was a rescue horse that had been beat up while he was in harness with another horse. But I had Charles for 2 yrs and he was the best friend I could ever ask for. I miss him heaps. He had a large tumor and has gone to a better place, now. But oh I miss him heaps.

AGAIN WELL DONE TO ANYONE WHO CARES

~~~Hi Ena,
Charlie was a lucky horse to have had you for “his” best friend.

There should be a special punishment for people that abuse horses. And a special reward for those, like you, that come to their rescue.

Read the article in the Carroll County Times…what are your needs? No contact info was given in he article..I called the paper to get as far as I did…LOVE the Gentle Giants…grew up with Kate and Major our plow horses…perhaps include contact info on your website…location..phone number…horses currently up for adoptions etc…Thank you